Saying Goodbye

This is a poor-quality photo I took of a photo of my grandparents. I’m guessing it’s from their 60th wedding anniversary party, in 2003. They were quite a pair. We lost my grandmother, Granbea, in 2007, after a two-year bout with lung cancer, and now, depending on what you believe, they’re together again. At the very least, they’re buried next to each other. I don’t know what I believe, other than that I’m honored to have known them.

A lot has happened, and so, if you can forgive it, the bullet points:

- Papa’s memorial service was really lovely. My mom, aunt, dad, brother, and cousin gave variously touching and funny speeches about him.

- I said a few impromptu words about how there was a lot of lucky associated with my grandfather for me–that I felt lucky to have known him, that he gave me my mother and aunt, that he and my grandmother had each other, the way he would always pull us aside when we visited them or they us, to let us know how lucky we all were to be able to spend time together. And then I said it: how sad I was that N’s and my children would never meet Papa. Totally broke down on that one. A lot of it was the sadness and disappointment of not having gotten on that kid-bound road yet for keeps. My close family knew the whole of where my sorrow came from, while those not familiar with our story took the words more at face value–I hope that’s not wrong.

- There was some military fanfare at the burial, because Papa was in the Marines. They played taps, folded up the flag and presented it to my mom and aunt, and did a however-many gun salute. We’re not a big military family, and so this was really impressive to all of us! Papa would have been so proud.

- I got to meet a bunch of old friends of my grandparents’, and hear some great stories about my grandfather that I’d never heard before. Neat.

- Already-planned pre-Yom Kippur meal and post-Yom Kippur break-fast + what family friends brought over while we were sitting shiva = soooo much food. Jews know how to comfort, that’s for sure.

- I went to Yizkor, the Yom Kippur afternoon memorial service, with my mom. Another blogger helped remind me that this is a time to remember all those we have lost, and so I was glad to have the opportunity to give some special thoughts to the baby who was within me all too briefly.

- I went on an outlet-shopping extravaganza today, in hopes of stocking up on clothes for work, which I was sorely lacking. Those of you in my metropolitan area may be familiar with Woodbury Common, a behemoth of a…what do you even call it? A microuniverse? I did a decent job–and definitely got some good deals–but the battle is not yet over. Beautiful day, though; I caught some rays as I strolled from one store to another.

And now, bedtime, and the start of my first five-day work week at New Job. I’ll leave you with a sideways photo of some of Granbea and Papa’s silver, with which we set the table for Friday-night dinner (posting from my phone means I’m not sure how to rotate the photo).